I Have One Regret
by Imagimanga
Summary: A death is sad. A death is something never to be undone. Rue has one regret, and she will find a way to let go while holding on.


**Disclaimer: She does not own the Harry Potter universe because she is not that amazing.**

 **AN: No one compares to J. K. Rowling.**

ABOUT TEN YEARS BEFORE THE BATTLE OF HOGWARTS

"Come on, you slow lumps on a log!" she yelled.

She ran past of the two red-headed twins quickly. This was to be their first year at Hogwarts.

Fred and George looked at each other and grinned. They ran even faster to catch up to their friend. Once they were right beside her they started talking as they ran.

"I wonder what will happen?" Rue asked.

"What house will we be in?" Fred asked.

"Think we'll be in Gryffindor?" asked George.

"Nah, we'll probably be in Ravenclaw," said Fred.

"You seem confident in your intelligence," laughed Rue.

"Are you saying we're dumb?" asked the twins.

The three reached the ninth platform and slowed down. Their grips on their carts tightened. They could not wait.

"Alright, who's going first?" asked Molly as she caught up.

Ron, Ginny, Bill, Charlie, and Percy followed her.

"Come on, Ginny," Ron sighed, "Mum told you to hold my hand."

"No!" Ginny said, crossing her arms.

"What if someone takes you away?" Ron asked her.

"Magic!" she answered.

"You don't know magic!"

Ginny glared at her older brother.

"Mum!" whined Ron.

"I'll go first," said Bill.

"No way, I want to go first!" argued Charlie.

"I was born first!" Bill said.

Bill ran into the barrier and disappeared. Charlie groaned and followed his brother. Before Percy stepped forward he looked at his two younger brothers.

"Hope you watch carefully," he said with great pride and confidence.

He ran and vanished without a trace.

"He thinks he's so amazing," said Ron.

"Well, he's not," Fred and George said simultaneously.

Before Molly could scold them they had already vanished.

"They could've waited for me." Rue complained aloud.

She took a few steps back. She eyed the barrier and broke into a run. She closed her eyes and felt a wind blow around her as she passed through the barrier. She opened her eyes and saw the black train and smoke immediately and grinned.

"Took you long enough," George said.

"I wanted to see if you two would crash into the barrier," she said playfully.

"You're so nice," Fred said sarcastically.

"Bye!" they all shouted to Molly, Ron, and Ginny.

"I want to go, too!" Ginny whined.

"You're not old enough," Ron sighed. "Mum!"

Ginny crossed her arms and stomped her feet.

"You two better stop misbehaving!" Molly demanded.

Ginny stopped throwing the tantrum and Ron stopped complaining.

Rue turned to the twins.

"Where should we sit?" she asked them.

"I think there's a space there for you three," said Bill, pointing to a compartment.

The three children sat in the compartment he pointed at and started talking.

"I would like being in Ravenclaw," Rue said, "or maybe Gryffindor."

"Think we'll break the record, Fred?" George asked.

"But if we won't be in Gryffindor, where would we go?" Fred asked.

"Maybe Slytherin," Rue said in a dark voice.

"Ha ha, very funny," Fred said.

"We can't be part of those scumbags," said George.

"Those bloody little brats are annoying as f-" Fred was cut off by George.

"You can't say bad words in front of girls, Fred!"

"Aw, why can't we, George? We've known her for years!"

"Girls are so sensitive. They take everything too personally, the little . . ."

Rue giggled, "Slytherin indeed."

ABOUT NINE YEARS BEFORE THE BATTLE OF HOGWARTS

"Where's Rue?" asked George as he and his brother sat down in the compartment.

"Why are you so worried?" Fred asked. "She isn't hopeless."

"You two in here?" someone asked.

Rue had opened the compartment doors. She already changed into her Hufflepuff robes.

"Well, look who's finally here," said George.

"Sorry, my brother's really annoying with his lectures and all that," she apologized and complained in the same sentence.

"Yeah, someone was worried," Fred said, looking at George.

"Sorry to cut the reunion short, boys-"

"Boys?" asked George. "Since when did you start calling people by their gender?"

"Ever since you interrupted me a few seconds ago," Rue answered. "But I have to go."

"Where?" Fred asked.

"I want to meet up with some other friends," Rue answered.

"I thought we were your best friends," George said while mocking tears.

"You are my friends, four-eyed freak," Rue sighed.

"You only call people 'four-eyed' if they have glasses," Fred said.

"I know, but you're twins," Rue shrugged. "Anyway, I have to go."

A few months after the three had returned to the schedule of class and schoolwork, Rue had decided to go journey around the school after curfew. Unfortunately, Rue was now lost.

"Come on, it's not that bad, I mean, if I get into trouble it will only be with . . . Filch," she spoke to herself.

She looked to her left. It was the hall heading towards the Gryffindor dorms. How did she get here? She shrugged and continued on, trying to find her way back to the Hufflepuff dorms. She kept on walking and walking until she heard footsteps heading towards her. She gasped. She headed down the corridor quickly. She saw a door on her left and opened it to hide inside the room.

She looked around the room. It was unused and dark. Desks pushed up against the walls. The air was cold and all the way in the back was a mirror.

She stepped in front of the mirror and gasped. She quickly turned around and saw no one. She confusedly turned to the mirror again and touched her hand to the mirror. She looked behind her and still saw no one. She looked back to the mirror and groaned.

"Deeply confused, aren't you?" said a soft voice.

She jumped in shock and turned again.

"Professor Dumbledore?" her voice echoed in the room. "I didn't see you the other times I looked around."

"I have my ways," he said. "Tell me, Rue, what do you see when you look into the mirror?"

Rue opened her mouth, closed it, then lowered her head and looked to the floor.

"I see," said Professor Dumbledore.

"I'm sorry, Professor," said Rue.

"You don't have to tell me, it is fine," he said.

Rue lifted her head.

"Let me tell you something . . ." he smiled.

ABOUT EIGHT YEARS BEFORE THE BATTLE OF HOGWARTS

"Oooohh . . ." Fred said, trying to scare Rue from behind.

"Stop it," Rue ordered while opening a book.

"Aw," Fred said, "I thought you wouldn't notice."

"Well, I did," Rue said, flipping through the pages. "By the way, . . . where's George?"

"Uh, over there preparing a prank for the professor. I already finished my half of the prank, plus I'm not ready for the test so I have to study."

"Definitely not from Ravenclaw," Rue giggled.

"Hey, at least people won't come to me for information."

"Yes, but they will for bravery."

"It's brave enough pulling a prank on Filch, alright?"

Rue laughed. She looked over to George at the professor's desk.

"Um, Fred?" She asked.

"Yeah?" he said flipping through the book.

"Well, it's just . . ." She bit her lip and turned to Fred. _It would be pretty sudden to just say this . . ._ she thought.

"Er, are you okay?"

"You didn't like your last birthday presents, right?" she blurted.

"Huh?!" Fred had almost fallen off his seat from shock.

"You didn't like them, right?"

"W- well, you- They didn't really- I mean-" he didn't know she would just burst into conversation. He took a deep breath. "Yes."

Rue looked slightly hurt. Fred did not see the pain on her face.

"They were absolutely horrible," he continued.

Her face was now utterly shocked and her eyes started to water.

"Um," Fred gulped, "please don't cry. George will make fun of us so much!"

Rue suddenly looked completely normal other than her wet eyes.

 _Well, . . . that worked better than I thought it would,_ he thought.

"You see, I just wanted to know what you two would like for next year," Rue said quietly.

"Money," Fred said instinctively.

"Wh-" her eyes bulged out of their sockets.

"I mean, you could get us whatever!"

"I don't want you two to hate it!"

"You could get us some muggle stuff, your mom's a muggle, right?"

"But wouldn't your dad just take it?" she sighed.

"Um, what about books?"

She stared at him for five seconds. She burst into laughter.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"You two don't read unless it's in a textbook!" she said in between laughs.

"Gee, thanks," Fred rolled his eyes.

"Sorry," she said after a chuckle.

"Good to see you laughing again. Haven't heard it in a while," he said.

Rue smiled in thanks.

"You know, you should hang out with us more often," he said.

"I guess, but you should really tell me what you want."

"Well, I don't know what _I_ want."

 _Now's my chance,_ she thought.

"What about George?" she asked.

"Well-"

"Class, turn to page 291!" the professor suddenly ordered.

"I'll tell you later," he whispered as they turned to the page.

Rue looked behind her and saw George sit in his seat and snicker. She then smiled as Fred joined in with his brother.

ONE MONTH AFTER THE BATTLE OF HOGWARTS

"George?" Rue closed the door behind her.

He pulled the blanket over his head.

"George, I know you're in there," Rue said.

"Leave," he moaned.

Rue entered the room.

"George? Why are you crying?"

George peeked out from under the blanket. He saw Rue's worried face. He hid the anger he felt for her not being able to know what had happened.

"Everyone else is worried too," she said. "They said that it would be best hearing the reason from you. . . . Why?"

"Leave," he said louder.

"I want to help you," she said softly.

"I said leave," he said, this time much more stiffly.

Rue looked around the room.

"Have . . . you . . . seen Fred?"

George immediately sat up and stared at Rue. His hand trembled as it clasped around a box.

"Leave!" he shouted, throwing the box at Rue.

The box missed by an inch. Rue stood agape.

"George, I want to help. I-" she stopped. Somehow her mind told her to stop and she obeyed. But why?

"You wouldn't understand!" George shouted, crying as his hands clutched his hair.

Rue suddenly thought of the figure in the mirror. In the mirror the figure was happily smiling and laughing. . . .Why was she thinking of that now?

"Did something happen to him?" she said in a quiet voice as she neared him.

As she walked closer, something caught her eye outside the window. She turned and looked out to the yard. She squinted her eyes to read something on a stone plaque. Her eyes widened in shock. She withheld a gasp and a sob.

"Fred?" her voice cracked.

George sat motionless in the bed.

"Why didn't you . . ." she whispered as she turned her head to him, "tell me?"

She turned and sat with her back against the wall. Her eyes were wet with tears.

"Why? Why didn't you tell me?" she said as a sob escaped from her throat.

George looked at her and silently started to cry.

"I thought I was one of your best friends!" she shouted with tears streaming down her face.

George looked away.

"George!" she yelled. "George, why?" Her lips quivered. George looked back at her. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" She covered her mouth with her hands. Tears fell faster and faster. Her heartbeat thumped faster and faster. It was hard for her to breath between sobs.

Outside the door they heard sniffs and a few sobs. But the two still stared at each other as they cried. Rue's head fell into her hands.

"George," Rue finally said after she stopped crying. "A few years ago I ran into a room with a mirror inside it. I looked in the mirror and guess what I saw." She paused and looked up with a weak smile. "You." George stared at her as she clenched her fists. "Professor Dumbledore told me that it held my deepest desire." She tried to smile wider. "That's why I spent so hard to make you smile and make you happy." Her smile faltered. "But no matter what I tried, Fred made you smile the most." George swung his legs over to the side of the bed. "Now, I think I was wrong. Do you know why?" She hung her head and started crying again as she paused. She looked up again to see George right in front of her. "Because it wasn't you." George and Rue stared at each other as Rue continued. "It was Fred."

George wrapped his arms around his friend. He cried as she cried. He held her tightly in his arms. She hugged him back.

"And now he's gone," they both whispered into each other's ears.

TWENTY YEARS AFTER THE BATTLE OF HOGWARTS

"Happy birthday, George!" they all said simultaneously as Bill and Percy pulled the massive cake out the house and into the yard.

"Whoa, mum, you didn't have to go all out with the cake," George chuckled.

"Happy birthday, sweetie," said Angelina.

She pecked him on the cheek as Roxanne wiggled in her mother's arms.

"Can we eat the cake now?" Teddy and James asked.

"No!" Hermione and Ginny said.

"Why? What are we doing?" asked Albus.

"We're waiting," answered Ron.

"For?" Albus, James, Lily, Hugo, Rose, and Teddy asked simultaneously. They chuckled after saying it.

Ron and Harry opened their mouths to answer then closed them. They looked at each other then at their wives. "Who is it we're waiting for again?"

"Rue! Honestly, the two of you must be growing old or something," answered Fleur in her French accent.

"Who's she?" Teddy asked.

Everyone looked at George.

"What?" he asked.

"You're the one who invited her, wouldn't you know?" Hermione said.

"Oh, well . . . a good friend." he answered.

"Dad!" Fred called.

"Alright, then," George said.

George put a childsized broomstick into his son's hands.

Fred grinned and expertly got onto the broomstick.

"Still better than how you two did it," George said, looking at Ron and Hermione.

"Dad, you said you did amazing that day," Hugo said.

George and Harry burst into laughter.

"Why have we never met Rue?" asked Albus.

"She went to America a few months after the Battle of Hogwarts," answered George while eyeing the cake.

"What business did she have in America?" Teddy asked.

"Apparently she had to go undercover and follow a fugitive from Azkaban," George answered, still looking at the cake.

"Sounds serious!" Hermione gasped.

"Of course it does, if she left after the Battle of Hogwarts that means it took her about twenty years," Angelina mused.

"Dad," Fred said.

"Twenty years, it was that hard?" Ron asked.

"Supposedly," George answered, finally looking up.

"Dad," Fred called.

"She must be pretty worn out, then," Teddy said. "But does that mean you haven't seen her for nineteen years?"

"Yeah, it's been a while," George said.

"Dad!" Fred called once more.

"Sweetie, what is it?" Angelina asked her son.

"I saw something!" Fred grinned.

"What?" his mother asked.

"It was flying! Kind of like a broom except bigger!" Fred mused. "Like Uncle Hagrid's thing!"

"What's a flying motorbike doing here?" Harry said.

Everyone looked up to the sky.

"Up there!" Rose pointed to a motorbike in the sky.

George grinned.

"Hey!" he shouted. "Over here!" He waved his hands in the air.

"It's coming!" Ginny said.

The motorbike swooped around in the sky and descended to the ground. The driver was a man in his late thirties and the passenger was a girl in her early thirties.

"Hope you loved your visit," said the driver with an American accent.

"Loved it?" she said. "Yes, I loved it when you made me accidentally drop my wand causing it to break into two." She held up her broken wand.

"It was an accident," he said. "Come on, you loved the ride, though, right?"

"Just leave or I make someone turn you into a rat," she threatened.

He started the engine and took off into the air. Everyone watched as the motorbike flew west back to America. After the motorbike was just a speck in the air, the girl turned around and smiled.

"Hello, everybody! Rue, at your service- I mean, I'm Rue." she said, blushing. "It's been a while since I could act informally."

"It's okay, it's been a while since people have acted informally in front of us. Well, besides us," said Bill.

Rue chuckled. "Glad to see all of you again," she said, looking at the adults. "Then they are you all. How are you?" she asked, looking at everyone else.

"Great!" they all answered.

"Wow," she said. She looked at the whole family. "Pretty big family. . . .I didn't prepare for a crowd."

"Huh? Oh yeah, I guess we are a pretty big family," George said.

She shook her head and mumbled under her breath.

"What did you say?!" George asked angrily.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think she was offending you, George," Teddy said.

"You didn't finish the cake?" asked Rue.

"We were waiting until you got here," Albus answered.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, Uncle George couldn't stop staring at it, though," Lily said.

"Huh. . . .Well, sorry to disappoint you all but I have to leave soon to report to my boss so I better give you the present now," she said.

She set her bag on the ground. She knelt on the ground and opened it. She reached inside. She made an annoyed face and forced her hand down the bag until her whole arm was inside of the bag.

"You could fit me inside that thing," Hugo said in awe.

"Found it!" Rue yelled.

She put the other arm inside the bag and pulled half a tall rectangle box out of the bag.

"Here, let me help," said Percy.

"Thank you," she said.

Together they pulled the box out of the bag.

"Can I see inside the bag?" said Fred enthusiastically.

"Go ahead," Rue smiled.

Fred ran to the bag as everyone else headed to the table where Percy and Rue placed the gift.

"The present is really long," Angelina commented.

"What is it?" James asked.

"Open it," Rue said. "Come on, I don't have all day."

George ripped open the wrapping paper uncovering a box. He lifted the lid and his eyes widened.

"A broomstick?!" he gasped. "Everyone kept on saying I was too old for one!"

"I actually got the idea a long time ago, I was going to give it to you sooner but then there were mishaps getting in the way of giving it to you," Rue explained.

"Thanks, Rue," George said, hugging her.

"Look! Look! Look!" Fred said.

He held up a broomstick exactly like George's. Rue's happy face suddenly changed.

"Where did you get that?" Angelina asked.

"Can I have it?" he asked.

"No, you can't, it's too big for you," Angelina answered him.

"Why?" he asked with a pout.

"I already told you-"

"But it had my name on it!" he cried.

Everyone was silent. Rue stared in shock. Fred stood with a bitter look on his face.

"Your . . . name?" George asked.

 _Why did it have Fred's name on it?_ Everyone except rue thought. They all stared at her strangely.

Fred nodded. Rue suddenly started walking to him. She lowered herself so she looked straight at his face. He pouted.

"You won't let me have it, won't you?" he asked.

She smiled.

"You know what? You can have it," she said.

 **AN: Ugh! It's so long (and probably not as good as I hoped)! Oh well, I had this idea for a while now, anyway.**


End file.
